Fifteen individuals, including five South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) inmates, have been indicted in a sprawling methamphetamine trafficking scheme orchestrated from inside state prisons. Using contraband cell phones, the U.S. Mail, and a network of outside facilitators, the defendants allegedly brokered the shipment of 50 grams or more of meth from California to the upstate and other regions of South Carolina—all while behind bars.
On September 14, 2016, a federal grand jury returned a twenty-one-count sealed indictment charging the group with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, use of telecommunications to facilitate drug crimes, and money laundering. The scheme also involved unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Authorities allege the inmates used internet-enabled phones to coordinate deliveries, confirm shipments, and launder drug proceeds through prepaid cards and wire transfers.
The defendants named in the indictment are: Nancy Phon, 40, of Fresno, California; Sok Bun a/k/a “Friday,” 27, an inmate at McCormick Correctional Institution; Paul Ray Davis a/k/a “Pop”, 39, an inmate at Ridgeland Correctional Institution; John Marlon Acosta, 24, an inmate at Perry Correctional Institution; James Robert Peterson, 28, an inmate at Lee Correctional Institution; Heather Nicole Rudicill, 29, of Cowpens, South Carolina; Beab Keo, a/k/a “Ma”, 52, of Boiling Springs, South Carolina; Terri Dianne Newman, 40, of Greer, South Carolina; Sokha Kao Aun, 47, of Wellford, South Carolina; Robert Earl Floyd, 55, of Piedmont, South Carolina; David Elijah Allen, 30, an inmate at Walden Correctional Institution; Jessica Lynn Gordon, 21, an inmate of Graham Correctional Institution; Samuel Travis Wiggins, a/k/a “Flash”, 37, an inmate at Broad River Correctional Institution; Melanie Renee Wiggins, 29, of West Columbia, South Carolina; and Jonathan Brent Martin, 51, of Chesnee, South Carolina.
According to the indictment, the five incarcerated ringleaders directed nine outside facilitators to handle logistics, including receiving shipments, distributing meth, and funneling cash back into the system via prepaid cards and cash deposits. The investigation revealed that contraband phones—many with touch screens and internet access—enabled real-time communication between inmates and their criminal network, turning South Carolina’s correctional facilities into command centers for drug distribution.
The case emerged from a multi-year Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation targeting high-level drug operations. The probe was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with support from the U.S. Postal Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, SC Law Enforcement Division, SC Department of Corrections, and numerous local agencies including the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Gaffney Police Department, ATF, DEA, HSI, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Acting United States Attorney Beth Drake emphasized that all charges are accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The indictment marks a rare but growing trend of prison-based trafficking networks exploiting technology and systemic vulnerabilities to sustain operations beyond cell walls. Federal prosecutors are seeking maximum penalties if convictions are obtained.
Related Federal Cases
- Prison Pipeline: Underwood Gets 10 Years for Meth & Fentanyl Ring · South Carolina
- Rock Hill Drug Kingpin Sentenced for Fentanyl Ring · North Carolina
- Lancaster Meth Kingpin Gets 15 Years · South Carolina
- Fugitive Dana Shay Sentenced to 17 Years for Meth Trafficking · North Carolina
- Multiple Arrests Made in Multi-State Drug Ring · North Carolina
Key Facts
- State: South Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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